On Friday's NBC Today, political director Chuck Todd described
how "both sides are dealing with some unexpected political speed bumps
on the trail" and began by detailing the supposed obstacles for the
Romney campaign:

...it's Indiana's Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, who made controversial comments about abortion and rape on Tuesday...another unforced error for Team Romney and Republicans, national campaign co-chair John Sununu made these eyebrow-raising commentsin response to Colin Powell's endorsement of President Obama.

A clip played of Sununu telling CNN's Piers Morgan:
"Well, I think when you have somebody of your own race that you're
proud of being President of the United States, I applaud Colin for
standing with him."

Todd later touted how "overnight the Romney campaign had John Sununu
release a statement on what he said about Colin Powell." In the
statement, Sununu explained: "Colin Powell is a friend and I respect the
endorsement decision he made, and I do not doubt that it was based on
anything but his support of the President's policies."

That was not enough for Todd: "...it certainly wasn't an apology for
how he worded that analysis. But I'm sure it'll be – we'll hear more
about it today."

As much as Todd fretted over Sununu's comments, NBC wasn't interested
in actress Eva Longoria, a co-chair for the Obama campaign, retweeting an offensive comment about Romney to her over 4 million followers on October 16.

In his Friday report, Todd did acknowledge that Obama "has his own
speed bump to deal with," referring to the President telling Rolling
Stone magazine that "kids have good instincts" about politics, "They
look at the other guy and say, well, that's a b***s***'er, I can tell."
However, Todd gave every benefit of the doubt: "...some have interpreted
[that comment] as a dig at Romney....The campaign did not deny Mr.
Obama was referring to Romney."

Todd didn't seem concerned with whether or not Obama apologized for using profane language to insult Romney.

Here is a transcript of Todd's October 26 report:

7:06AM ET

MATT LAUER: President Obama is back in Washington this morning after a
whirlwind campaign tour, as Governor Romney heads to Iowa and the
biggest battleground state of Ohio. NBC's political director and chief
White House correspondent Chuck Todd is in Cincinnati this morning.
Chuck, good morning to you.

CHUCK
TODD: Well, good morning, Matt. You could be forgiven if you thought
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were running for the presidency of Ohio.
They've been here a lot, they were here a lot yesterday, because both
campaigns believe this state is that critical to their prospects in 11
days. President Obama wrapped up a 48-hour eight-state battleground
blitz in Cleveland, Ohio late Thursday, and with a hoarse voice
questioned his opponent's trustworthiness.

BARACK OBAMA: There's no more serious issue in a presidential campaign
than trust. Trust matters. You know what, Ohio? After all these years,
you now know me. You know that I mean what I say.

TODD: At almost exactly the same moment 150 miles west, Mitt Romney took the stage in Defiance, Ohio.

MITT ROMNEY: Now that's an Ohio welcome. Thank you.

TODD: And borrowing a page from President Obama's 2008 playbook, calling himself the candidate of change.

ROMNEY: This is a time when America faces big challenges. We have a big
election, and we want a president who will actually bring big changes.
And I will and he won't.

TODD: Ohio is the ultimate bellwether in presidential elections, most
recently picking George W. Bush in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2008. Mitt
Romney's first stop Thursday was in Cincinnati, part of Hamilton County.
It's the largest county in Ohio that switched from Republican Bush in
2004 to Democrat Obama in 2008. The President has been putting a big
emphasis in Ohio and other states on early voting, which is why he
decided to become the first president to cast his ballot before election
day.

Meanwhile, both sides are dealing with some unexpected political speed
bumps on the trail. For Mitt Romney, it's Indiana's Republican Senate
candidate Richard Mourdock, who made controversial comments about
abortion and rape on Tuesday. Romney ignored questions about Mourdock
three times on Thursday.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Governor, do you disavow Mourdock's comments on rape?

TODD: In what may be another unforced error for Team Romney and
Republicans, national campaign co-chair John Sununu made these
eyebrow-raising comments in response to Colin Powell's endorsement of
President Obama.

JOHN SUNUNU: Well, I think when you have somebody of your own race that
you're proud of being President of the United States, I applaud Colin
for standing with him.

TODD: Still, Mr. Obama has his own speed bump to deal with. In an
interview published in Rolling Stone magazine, the President commented
on the wisdom of children. His remarks, which some have interpreted as a
dig at Romney, included this quotation: "You know, kids have good
instincts. They look at the other guy and say, well, that's a
b***s***'er, I can tell." However, the President did not short-hand it.
The Obama campaign admitted the remark occurred, but said it was during a
casual conversation at the end of the interview. The campaign did not
deny Mr. Obama was referring to Romney.

And as competitive as Ohio may be, there are other states that may be
closer. New NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls show an incredibly
tight race in Colorado, with the President and Mitt Romney tied at 48%.
And while Nevada remains close, the President is at the magic 50% mark.

Now, overnight the Romney campaign had John Sununu release a statement
on what he said about Colin Powell. Let me read it to you, Matt. "Colin
Powell is a friend and I respect the endorsement decision he made, and I
do not doubt that it was based on anything but his support of the
President's policies. Piers Morgan's question was whether Colin Powell
should leave the party and I don't think he should." Well, Matt, I don't
quite think that's exactly the way the question was, and it certainly
wasn't an apology for how he worded that analysis. But I'm sure it'll be
– we'll hear more about it today.

LAUER: Exactly.

(...)

-- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.

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